Change in Hagrid's Disposition of Sirius' Motorbike (WAS: UK CoS Changes)

[erisedstraeh2002]

No: HPFGUIDX 43701

bboy_mn wrote:
 
> It has come to light that the American version of PS/SS has Hagrid 
> saying that he has to get the giant motorcycle BACK to Sirius, then 
> we find out later, it was originally written to say, he had to get 
> the motorcycle put away. Obviously, a change by an American copy 
> editor who hadn't read the later books, and didn't realize he was 
> changing something significant

and Eloise responded:

> I don't think you can blame the US editors for this one. I have an 
> older UK copy (first ed paperback) which similarly says that Hagrid 
> is intending to return the bike to Sirius, as does Phyllis's US 
> copy, so the Lexicon was correct: it's not a 'translation' issue.

Now me:

I didn't have the books with me when I originally posted on this 
issue, so here are the exact wording changes:

My US paperback edition of SS (Chapter 1, pg. 16): Hagrid says "I'll 
be takin' Sirius his bike back."

The UK adult version paperback edition of PS I just bought (Chapter 
1, pg. 17): Hagrid says "I'd best get this bike away."

As Eloise says, this is a change even from the original UK paperback 
edition.  While I can't tell when the edition of PS I have was 
published (it just says "this edition first published in 1998"), it 
must have been published *after* the release of GoF, as there is a 
list in the front of "titles available in the Harry Potter series" 
and it lists all 4 books.  In addition, it also includes the 
following statement: "Harry Potter, names, characters and related 
indicia are copyright and trademark Warner Bros., 2000tm."  I bought 
a box set, and the copies of CoS and PoA are not as new - they don't 
have the Warner Bros. reference and the list of titles available 
stops with PoA.

Even with this change, it's still a bit messy.   When Dumbledore asks 
Hagrid where he got the bike, Hagrid says he "borrowed it...Sirius 
Black lent it to me" (actually, I just noticed that the UK edition 
leaves out the "to", so it reads awkwardly "Black lent it me.").  But 
then at the Three Broomsticks in PoA, Hagrid says Black "told me ter 
take his motorbike ter get Harry there.  'I won' need it any more,' 
he says...He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for?" 
(SS, Ch. 10, p. 207; PS, Ch. 10, p. 154).  So it's borrowed in SS/PS 
but given in PoA.

I'm wondering if JKR initially planned to have someone other than 
Sirius be the original secret-keeper for the Potters (Lupin, 
perhaps?).  This would explain the problems with the references to 
the bike in PS/SS, and would also explain why Dumbledore shows no 
surprise when Hagrid tells him in PS/SS that he borrowed the bike 
from Sirius (at this point, Dumbledore still thinks Sirius was the 
Potters' secret-keeper, so wouldn't he have had been startled that 
Hagrid used a betrayer's bike to transport Harry to Privet Dr.?).

I also find it perplexing that the Potters didn't use Dumbledore as 
their secret-keeper.  If they were concerned about a spy in their 
midst, why not switch from Sirius to Dumbledore?  Particularly if 
Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort ever feared?  It makes me 
wonder if there was some concern about Dumbledore being ever-so evil 
(heaven forbid!).

~Phyllis